Midnight Surprises
by The Restless Dead
Summary: Mildred is sneaking around late one night and sees something she shouldn't.


Mildred guessed that it was nearly midnight by the time she stuck her head around her bedroom door and peered out into the corridor. It was deserted. She stood and listened for a while but didn't hear anything. No teachers roaming the halls, no other students out of bed. She sighed with relief. It was probably a hideously stupid idea to attempt what she was about to do, but given HB's reaction if she didn't, it was worth the risk.

Earlier that day Ruby had revealed her new invention – a completely robotic cat. The girls had all been shocked; no-one knew that Ruby was working on something new. Mildred and Maud had immediately brought up Bobo and how badly that had gone and gently suggested that Ruby might like to work on something less likely to try and take over the world. Ruby just grinned.

"No see that's where Patches is better! He's a cat, he'll feel right at home in the school, and everyone knows Cats aren't as smart as Dogs so he won't be able to trick us like Bobo did."

"Yes," said Enid "But you might like to try not letting _Mildred_ look after this one. Just to be on the safe side."

Even Mildred had to agree with that one. It wasn't that she meant to get things wrong; it just seemed that wrong things liked her and wanted to happen to and around her as often as they could. So when Ruby had offered to let her see Patches in Potions class, she didn't say no or pretend she hadn't noticed like she should have done. She held out her hand and took the little annamatronic Cat and knocked over the sleeping potion they had been brewing. Immediately she had felt the effect of the potion and by the time Miss Hardbroom noticed what had happened, Ruby and Maud were asleep. HB quickly grabbed the students, or as quickly as any of them could, and evacuated the room. In the drowsy haze of being pulled from her chair by Enid and Jadu, Mildred vaguely remembered dropping Patches onto the floor and kicking him under the desk.

The Potions Lab had been left to air with the windows open and Miss Hardbroom had shouted and given out detentions. Mildred was sure she probably had one, but was too sleepy to remember where or when or for how long. Knowing her luck it was probably from tomorrow, down in the dungeons and for the rest of her life. She hesitated now as she crept along to the end of the corridor. Whatever punishment she had would be doubled if Miss Hardbroom came up here and found her out of bed right now. She shook her head. Whatever punishment she had would be **quadrupled** if she didn't get downstairs and retrieve that damned Cat. The Potion would have been vented out by now and no one had been in there since, so Patches would be exactly where she left him.

She made up her mind and clenched her fist. She could absolutely not get caught. HB would throw a fit if she ever found out about Ruby's little experiment, especially after Bobo, and somehow Mildred would get all the blame. Deciding on the safest course of action, she began to creep along the landing to the top of the stairs. Down, into the Potions Lab and straight back up, no dawdling and definitely no wandering off to investigate anything. She took a few bold steps to the top of the staircase and stopped sharply. A door slammed downstairs. She quickly crouched down and hid herself as best she could behind the banister. The determined footsteps of Miss Drill rang out across the main entrance hall. She peered down in time to see a sudden flash and Miss Hardbroom appeared neatly in front of Miss Drill.

"Imogen-"

"Go away; I'm not talking to you." Mildred was shocked that Miss Hardbroom had used Miss Drill's first name. She was even more shocked that HB seemed vaguely amused by Miss Drill's answer.

"Well that's highly unproductive, not to mention childish, and besides, you just did."

"Oh so I'm childish as well am I? And that was only to _tell_ you that I wasn't talking to you, now I'm not." Miss Drill tried to manoeuvre around HB but the Deputy stepped into her way.

"Honestly Imogen where do you think you're going?"

"Away…Away from this stupid place and these narrow-minded idiots…And away from you."

"From me? Imogen I never said anything."

"Exactly!"

"Exactly?"

"You didn't defend me. You didn't tell that pompous old fool to shut up or get a clue. You just sat there and let him talk about non-witches as if we were some kind of disease!" Miss Hardbroom held up her hands and to Mildred's surprise, seemed genuinely concerned.

"Imogen I didn't hear what he said. Honestly. When you're around self-important know-it-alls like that as often as someone in my position must then you eventually learn to block them out. Or at the least you find a distraction."

"Well it was a bit hard to ignore him from where I was sitting and it looked like you were listening to him, and you said nothing, so it looked like you agreed with him."

"I-"

"No, you know what? It's fine. If you want to give people the impression that you're as prejudice as them, that's fine." She pushed her way past Miss Hardbroom who sighed and turned around. Mildred pulled back further into the shadows, this was certainly one conversation she did not want to get caught overhearing.

"For goodness sake. What would you have me do Imogen? March back in there and challenge him to a duel? He's powerful, but I'm reasonably certain I could take him. I expect he would play dirty though." Mildred clamped her hand to her mouth and suppressed a snigger at the thought of HB taking on the Grand Wizard. Imogen too suppressed a smile. The over-exasperation in Constance's voice amused her slightly but she tried not to let it show. She was angry and she had every right to be, but damn if the thought of Constance defending her honour didn't do things to her. She had always thought the other woman was masterful when she was angry. If only that anger wasn't so often directed at her. She might not be furious with Hellibore anymore, he was an arrogant fool, but there were still things she had to say to the woman in front of her. She sighed and shook her head.

"No Constance I don't want you to fight him. I just wish you'd at least act like I exist when we're with others in the school."

"Imogen you know we can't-"

"Yes I know, I'm not asking for miracles here. You just don't have to act like you hate me whenever the staff or students are around. I know you prefer to keep our relationship secret and so do I, but I don't think the occasional exchange of pleasantries is going to give the game away is it?" Mildred suppressed a gasp. Relationship? Miss Drill and HB? No way. She carefully twisted herself around so she could get a better look at them.

"I do not-"

"Yes you do. I know you don't mean to but you do." Miss Hardbroom sighed and rubbed her face with one hand. Mildred was surprised at how subdued she seemed when compared to the woman who gave her 500 lines of 'I must not slouch or chew with my mouth open' earlier in the day.

"I expect you're right, but Imogen please don't ever think I hate you if I'm ill-tempered with you. This is all rather unexplored territory for me and I know I don't always get it right, but I do love you and I want to make this work. Somehow."

"You do?" Mildred was reasonably sure that she must still be asleep and this was all a dream.

"Yes of course I do, you must know that."

"I do, it's just…Do you know you've never said you love me before?"

"I haven't?" In her defence Miss Hardbroom seemed genuinely surprised.

"No."

"Oh. Well, I was keeping it for a rainy day."

"Constance, it's night, and it's not raining."

"Yes I think you rather missed the point." Miss Drill smiled and pulled her into a tight hug, resting her forehead against her lover's. HB closed her eyes. Mildred's mouth hung open.

"No, I didn't. I just like having the upper hand for once."

"Imogen just because we disagree on something doesn't mean-"

"Oh I know, will you stop being so defensive?" Miss Hardbroom pulled back.

"I am not def-!" Mildred knew she must be dreaming now. No way did Miss Drill just kiss Miss Hardbroom to shut her up, and no way did HB just let her. And was still letting her.

Mildred had to admit it was one of the most passionate kisses she'd ever been witness to. Miss Drill ran her hands up HB's back and did something to her hair that Mildred couldn't see and HB's hair cascaded down her back. Imogen ran her fingers through it and Miss Hardbroom kissed her harder. They went on for what felt like ages to Mildred, until Miss Hardbroom made a whimper of protest and Miss Drill slid her hands tightly around her waist. In a flash Miss Hardbroom vanished them both, to where, Mildred didn't like to think about.

She sat stunned at the top of the staircase, all thoughts of annamatronic cats now forgotten. She didn't know if she was more shocked by what she'd seen or how she felt about it. She was surprised to find that she was pleased for them. Really genuinely pleased. If slightly concerned for Miss Drill's mental health. It was HB after all, and so a bit like sleeping with the enemy. Mildred shuddered at that. Best not to think about things too deeply tonight. Or tomorrow. Or indeed ever again. This was one particular secret she knew she should keep to herself, not even tell Maud or Enid. She was quite sure they would never believe her anyway. She certainly wouldn't believe them if she hadn't just seen it for herself.

She half felt like everything was different now, and half felt like nothing was all that different at all. Unless this relationship had sprung up in the last 4 hours, which she highly doubted, Miss Hardbroom and Miss Drill had been a couple when she had had PE class this morning, and when she got detention earlier, AND when Miss Drill had congratulated her on her goal in netball, AND when HB had told her to walk not run down the corridor after lunch. It wasn't something that actually affected the students in any way. They might have hoped that Miss Hardbroom in love would be softer and more lenient, but in reality both she and Miss Drill were the same Teachers they'd always been and if Mildred hadn't been down here tonight she doubted she ever would have known a thing.

She dimly thought she'd better get back to bed, when she suddenly remembered Patches. She still needed to retrieve him from the Potion's Lab, but now she'd lost her nerve. It was simply too silly to attempt to fetch him now, especially with the Chief Wizard wandering about. Besides, she was sure if Miss Hardbroom caught her and suspected her of overhearing any of what she did, well, she might as well just jump off the tallest tower and get it over with. She carefully stood and crept back to her room, she'd have to get to Patches tomorrow now, and hope it wasn't too late.

As she let her own door creak open and saw Tabby sitting on the bed she remembered how nice it was to have someone waiting for you. Someone who cared about your day and what you were thinking. Everyone deserved to be loved, no matter who they were. She slid back into her own warm bed and briefly allowed herself a smug grin at what she now knew and what she was not going to do with the information. She wasn't Ethel after all. This was their secret and if that's what they wanted then Mildred would respect that. Even if they never knew that she did. Tabby nudged her hand and she rubbed the cat behind the ears. He purred softly.

"Goodnight Tabby." She whispered and quickly fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.


End file.
